Changing Destiny
by icepirate
Summary: Meeting one person can your whole outline on life. When a young man from a long line of Marines is forced into the Marine life by his family as its destiny. He meets someone who makes him want to change his own destiny. But can he really do it?
1. internal argument

The young man was sitting at the table in thought. A question echoing inside his head. "_I__s__ this really what you want to do?"_ That was a really good question... Was this really what he wanted to do?

He thought and thought and he couldn't come up with an answer. It's not like he wanted to be here with these people, but he had nowhere else to go. He had no-one else he could go to. Not unless he wanted to put the people he was trying to protect in danger. At the same time, it is the only thing he knows. Where else would go? Who else could he with be? What else could he even be?

Most of his family were Marines. His father, his grandfather, his great grandfather. He was from a long line of Marines. It's not like he could just leave the Marines, even if he didn't want to be here in the first place. He choose this path long ago. He accepted this choose and path a long time ago.

But all he could think about. All he could he hear. Was that person's voice. The words that they said to him. "_Is this really what you want? I don't see it. Not when I can see how miserable you are._"

Was it it that obvious he didn't want to be here? That he was that miserable?

No, someone else would have said something. He knew his father or grandfather would have said something. They always did when he was younger. They always told him to smile, he was going to the pride of the Marines. He was their pride and joy. It was his destiny to be a Marine. Like all of those before him.

He looked up in the mirror in the small bathroom he was in. He wasn't sure when he left the gallery and the table he had sitting at. But at some point during his thoughts he left where the others were and came here. The lights flickering over his head. His dark purple eyes reflected back at him as he was dressed in the white and blue Marine uniform. Who was this person he was looking at in the mirror?

He hardly recgoinsed himself. When he had been younger, he had tanned skin, shining bright eyes and wild hair that refused to be kept in place. But that wasn't who he was looking at now. All the young man could see now was someone he didn't know. Some stranger stared back at him in the mirror. The person's skin pale like they have never seen the sun, with dull souless eyes staring back at him and hair that never seemed to be out place.

Who was this? When did he become this person?

"_You're a Marine,_" his reflection told him. "_That's who and what you are, isn't that right?_"

"_You're destiny,_" his father's voice told. _"This is who you are destined to be._"

'_No. T__hat's what you want. It's not what I want,_' the young man thought as his hands gripped the sink. But was it that he wanted? He wasn't even sure, but he was sure as hell it wasn't this. Not that he could leave, he knew he wasn't meant to. They would kill him before he did.

"_But you'll stay, won't you?_" his reflection said as it read his thoughts. "_To protect them._" The reflection slicking the hair back and clicked his fingers, doing a costume change as it was suddenly dressed in all black. Skin getting tanner and the dull lifeless started to shine like they did when he was a kid before he joined the Marines. "_Or do you want to take a chance and change your destiny?_ _They said they would be waiting for you after all._"

Take a chance and change his destiny? If only it was that easy, he knew it wasn't. He tried when he was younger and that how he got into this mess. To protect to his sworn brothers from the fate his father threaten them with.

His only regret was not saying good bye to them when he left to protect them.

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**A/N: Hi guys. I hoped you all enjoyed the chapter. I will revile more next chapter. Review, feel free to pm me, like and follow.****Until next chapter everyone, icepirate. **


	2. Choice to make

"So why do you like that Marine so much?" someone asked the pirate who was sitting at the tavern. They were a worker at the tavern who noticed the pirate when he first arrived at the island. The pirate got their attention for a few reasons.

First reason being that pirates tend to avoid their island since it has a Marine base.

Second reason being that he had a kid with him. Shy did the pirate have a kid with him? Was it his brother or friend or someone he kidnapped or something?

Third reason being that it was obvious that two pirates were clearly still starting out as it was just the captain and the kid in this pirate crew and they had a rather small boat.

And the fourth reason being, they were new and a traveller, just likethe worker in the tavern. Whom only got to the island a few days before the pirate himself and the kid.

"He interests me," the person replied.

"What makes you think he is just going to join you?"

"Gut instinct."

"So you're just going to wait here. On a Marine infested island. Hoping that this guy you have never met before in your life until today, just leaves his position in the Marines and joins you?"

"Yep!" Grinning like they were proud of themselves.

"I don't know if your brave or stupid, pirate," the tavern worker sighed. Crazy was another option too.

The pirate laughed it off as he just went back to looking out to the sea from the spot he picked at the tavern. It was such perfect weather for sailing, he wanted to go out to the sea. He wasn't going to though. he would wait for as long as he needed too.

"I won't leave without him," the pirate said to the worker and his cabin boy. "Not unless he turns me into the Marines for being here." But he didn't see that happening. He had no idea what it was about this individual that drew him to them. There was just something special about this Marine.

Hopefully his trust isn't misplaced. The pirate's gut has never been wrong before, so hopefully it won't be now.

"Do you really think he is going to join?" the voice of the cabin boy asked the pirate. Not many people noticed the kid sitting with the pirate.

"If my gut says so, then I sure do think so," the pirate grinned as he patted the other on the head. "Don't worry about a thing. Leave everything to your captain."

* * *

He punched the mirror when his reflection changed back to how he was now. Obviously the voices and change of the reflection was a trick of the young man's mind, but that doesn't mean it didn't bother him all the same. The words of that stranger, of that weird pirate, echoing in his head like a broken record. "_Is this really what you want? I don't see it. Not when I can see how miserable you are_."

Glass was in his hand as he panted a little. Looking into the smashed mirror in front of him as his hand fell to the sink. Trying to get out all of his rage at once with that hit to the mirror.

He never questioned this choice. He has never once questioned living his life out as a Marine so his sworn brothers could be free to be pirates. But now he was questioning every decision he has ever made.

His left hand tightening on the sink, cracking the mable top bowl sink as he just stared at the broken mirror in front of him. Angry at everything, at everyone, especially himself.

He was losing himself. He wasn't him anyone. He was a robot. A puppet that did as it was told. When he was younger, taking the deal to protect his brothers was the only thing he could do. That he thought would work. But now, he was older. They were older. They were all stronger, he was sure of it since he was stronger. So did they really still need his protection?

He didn't want them to die, but at that same time. He didn't want to be keep being nothing more than an obedient dog to the Marines. He had no friends here. He had some rivals, some enemies, some mentors, and of course, some family. But he had no friends. No-one he was close to. He has never been close to family. Since he has never wanted to be a Marine. They never got along because of that, until they force his hand to join the Marines to protect his brothers, and his uncle.

The pirate's offer to leave. To get out of here and never come back. The more the young Marine thought about it, the more he wanted to take him up on the offer.

But then he would be breaking his word with his father and grandfather. He would be putting his brothers in danger, and he didn't want that. At the same though, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. Especially now with all of the thinking he is doing and seeing how much he has changed.

The young man sighed as he left the bathroom with glass from the mirror everywhere and a half broken sink basin. He could truly care less about that. He needed to take care of the wound on his hand then got train before he showered and retired for the night. Sleeping on this problem should help him make up his mind on what to d-

"Are you sure about this father? Our deal with him is that his brothers wouldn't be touched as long as he was a Marine," the young man heard his father say. If his father was saying father, that means he was talking to the young Marine's grandfather.

He raced over to the door, stood there silently and listened to them talk. It sounded like they were talking about him. Who else were they keeping here to be a Marine and for as long as he's a Marine, his brothers would be safe.

"I never intended to keep that ridiculous promise. I only made it to make him join our side," his grandfather said. "Now that Jaki is here, used to the life as an Marine and can take orders. It doesn't matter what happens to those pirate scrum boys. They lead Jaki off the path of being an Marine in the first place. I have already handed the men their orders. They are kill those pirates, no matter what."

The black-haired young man stood there in shock. They were going after his brothers? They were going to kill them? His grandfather had no intentions of keeping his word?

"Alright father," he heard his own father agree. "And what do we tell Jaki?"

"Nothing. He will only get in the way," the man replied.

"This is a horrible idea father," his father said. "If Jaki finds out, we won't have anything to use against him anymore father. Just leave the pirate boys be, having Jaki here with us is far more important than going after children who know nothing of how the world works."

"They are all causing trouble. Better to take them out now then later when they all will be even more terrible," the old man said.

Jaki didn't want to hear anymore. He couldn't. The black-haired young man walked quickly to his room and fixed up his hand, then he started the shower as he got undressed. Sitting down in it as he thought. He needed to think. He needed to work out what his next move was going to be. He didn't know what to do. His grandfather wanted to go after his brothers. The boys he was raised with by his uncle on his mother's side of the family, before the old man and his father forced him to join the Marines.

"What am I going to do?" Jaki asked himself as the water ran over his skin. Blood running down the bandage as it got wet under the running water.

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**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed and favoured the story.** **T****o _Everyone the Great_**. **The chapter lengths will vary depending on how much time I have to write. But I will try to make them a bit more than 700 words each chapter. If I can, I will be trying to aim for 1,000 to 1,500 words a chapter or sometimes more.** **Anyway guys. PM me. Review. Follow. Favour. See you all next chapter.**

**P. S. How do we all feel about me posting small character outlines for chapters after we have a few chacaters introduced?** **I will try to do one for Jaki in a few chapters to show you an example of what I mean. If we like them, then I will do it. If we don't like it, then I won't do it. **


	3. Call Me

Jaki looked at the mirror that he broke last hight as the sun was raising in the early hours of the morning. It was still there,with a fist sized hole through it. the marble basin still broken too. Broken glass shards all over the ground. The pieces looking like they were showing two sides of the young Marine. One as his destiny as a Marine. The other one showing his destiny as, Jaki was guessing, a pirate. It could be a bounty hunter or something else for all he knew, but before he was forced to be a Marine. He wanted to be a pirate, just like his brothers.

The question was now, which destiny did he want to follow? The one he was forced to take as a Marine or the one offered to him as a pirate?

Jaki thought sleeping on the question would help him make up his mind. but all he had was flashbacks of his time spend with his sworn brothers and his mother's brother. Or maybe that way his sign? His brain's say of telling him to leave the Marine life behind and go join that weird pirate's crew. Or was it his brain telling him, reminding him, why he joined the Marines in the first place? To protect the family he loved.

Jaki sighed as he looked down at his bandaged hand. He needed to make a choice and he needed to make it today. But which choice was that? Which one was right?

* * *

The pirate yawned as he sat his spot near the window of the quiet tavern, looking out to the sea. He smelt the sea air coming through the window. A storm was brewing.

"Better make sure the ship is good," the pirate muttered under his breath. He left his cabin boy asleep in the room they were renting until the Marine guy joined them.

The Pirate Captain walked out of the tavern and headed to the docks, giving another yawn. He never seemed to sleep well unless it was on a boat. He bend down and checked on the small row boat like ship he and his cabin were using.

"Yes Marine?" the man said without turning round. Knowing that the person he has been waiting for was standing behind him as he was making sure everything was fine with the boat.

"When do we leave?"

"After the storm passes."

"The weather looks fine to me." He looking up at the sky. It was a bright blue sky with only a small breeze. It looked perfect for going out to sea, and getting away from this god forsaken island and the Marines.

"Trust me. When you have been living on the seas as long as I have, you know when a storm is going to hit by the smell of the breeze." The pirate could tell by moist the breeze felt and smelt that it was going to be a very powerful storm.

"I would rather leave today. Have a head start against my fam- Against my commanding officers in the Marines."

"If we are going to leave with a storm like this coming in, we're going to need a bigger ship." The pirate would rather not get shipwrecked or stuck out at sea. He would rather not die thank you very much.

"If I can get us a decent ship, we can leave right away?" Jaki asked the pirate.

"Of course," the pirate captain nodded his head as he looked behind himself finally. Seeing the Marine in black jeans, boots, a white shirt and a black jacket. "Nice clothes."

"I asked for the day off. I was owed some time," Jaki replied. Seeing the look from the pirate.

"Suits you," the pirate said as he stood up. "Welcome to the crew, I'm Hawke. The captain. I'll introduce you to the cabin boy Aki later. And you are?"

Neither of them had formally introduced them self to the other. Hawke just calling Jaki, Marine. and Jaki calling Hawke, pirate.

"It's Jaki, but I would rather be known as Joker," Jaki told the other as he shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Joker," Hawke grinned, happy to see his gut insinct was once again correct. "Now, what is this decent ship you were talking about? Where is it? We should get out here if you're deserting the Marines."

"I'm not making this decision lightly, it's putting some people I hold dear in danger," Joker informed the pirate as he started to head along the dock to where he knew the ship was.

"Then why do it?" Hawke asked as he followed the soon to be ex-marine.

"Because I can't trust my commanding officers to keep their words of leaving those people alone," he replied as he was looking at the docks. Where was the ship he remembered being brought in the other day? IItwas along here somewhere. "If I can't trust my commanding officers, then what is the point in staying? And... And you were right." Joker wasn't sure if it was relief or pain he felt when he admitted that to the Pirate. it was probably a bit of both. "Wiith what you said the other day and that's all I will say on the matter."

"Oh? So now you're taking back your destiny then?"

"Something like that," the ex-marine replied as he stopped and pointed to ship that reminded Hawke of the Going Merry from the old Strawhat Pirate's legends. But instead of it having a sheep head, it had a hawk head. Making the pirate laugh loudly to himself in the irony of it. It has a hawk head and his name is Hawke. maybe they should call themselves the Hawke Pirate's at this rate. Speaking of which, Hawke better think of a name for the ship and for his crew. "Will this do?"

"It's perfect," Hawke grinned through his laughing tears. He also needs to do a design or something for their Jolly Roger too. Damn, the pirate captain is really behind in the list of things he needs as a pirate captain. "Give an hour to get my cabin boy and move our things to this ship, then we can go. What's your experince on ships like?"

"I've been on them on and off since I was ten," Joker replied. He sailed with his father and grandfather on and off with his training and he did ship learning things with his brothers as well. So he knew most of the basics on ships.

"Then get your stuff aboard and get ready to set sail!" Hawke told him with a hit on the back. "We leave in an hour, First Mate Joker." Taking off back to the tavern to get Aki. He wouldn't wait!

Joker watched Hawke race off. The black haired young man sighing to himself lightly as he looked out to sea. He really hoped he was making the right decision here.

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**A/N: hey guys. sorry this chapter is shorter. I just thought this was the best place to end the chapter. But I will try to aim for at least 900 words each chapter or more. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. Well, it should be since it's a flashback chapter, spoiler alert for that warning.** **And a late Happy Holidays with a Happy New Years too guys. **

**T****hanks to those reviewed, favourited and followed the story.**

**Any suggestions or ideas is welcomed guys.**

**See you all next chapter. **


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